Sunday, January 29, 2017

Heed the Introduction as Written - Opening Keynote

Do your conference speakers a favor: tell your introducers in no uncertain terms not to improvise. Many introducers offer an ad-hoc lines, which squelch a speaker’s planned opening. One of my introducers once added his own line to my introduction. It was his attempt at a joke. It was lame, fell flat, and went nowhere. It also conflicted with my intended opening line, and I had to quickly adjust.

I know of one meeting planner who asks introducers, "Can you deliver this introduction as the speaker has requested?" If the introducer does not pledge to deliver the introduction free of these remarks, the meeting planner finds another introducer.